Horizon
by Suituuup
Summary: Chloe's four o-clock patient had just arrived. A beautiful golden retriever clad in a harness that said 'GUIDE DOG' on the side. Vet!Chloe and Blind!Beca. AU.


_horizon (noun):_ _the line at which the earth's surface and the sky appear to meet._

* * *

The bell above the door chimed, pulling Chloe out of her thoughts.

Her four PM consult had just arrived, a little bit ahead of time, and for that she was glad. It had been a slow day and Chloe hated slow days.

Not that she wished for more sick animals or anything. She was just getting bored out of her mind and there was so much paperwork she could do. Plus, Stacie was on her day off so there was no one to entertain her with crazy dating stories.

"Hi!" she chirped warmly, drawing the customer's attention towards her while she grabbed a chart and moved around the reception counter. The woman seemed about to be about her age, brunette and slightly shorter than Chloe. She had a very relaxed look about herself: denim jacket, dark blouse and dark jeans, Converse sneakers on her feet. "You must be Ms. Mitchell."

The stranger blinked, posture straightening as she turned to Chloe to face her more fully. "Um, yeah."

"And this is Jasper?"

She looked down at the dog, who was wearing a thick, black harness with the words 'GUIDE DOG' spelt out on the side.

"Yes," Ms. Mitchell's shy voice captured Chloe's attention away from the golden retriever pup. "He's here for his annual check-up."

"Absolutely!" Chloe smiled, briefly faltering when she recalled the other woman couldn't see it. "Let's go to the consult room."

After a moment of awkwardness as she pondered if she should take the woman's arm to lead her there or if she should grab the dog's leash, Chloe remembered an assistant dog should never be led by anyone but its master.

"May I take his leash?" Chloe asked. The woman paused and nodded, seemingly appreciative over the fact that Chloe had asked instead of just doing so. Keeping one hand around the handle, she handed Chloe the leash.

"Alright," she announced after they stepped in, sliding the door shut behind them. "Let's start by making a file for Jasper."

She guided her client to a seat in front of her desk and rounded it to settle in her own, clicking her computer back to life. The shorter woman set the dog's documents onto the surface, sliding them towards Chloe.

"Are you new in town or just switching clinics?" Chloe asked as she entered the needed information into the system.

"Um, I've been living in LA for the last few years and just moved to this quieter neighborhood."

Chloe smiled to herself. "Awesome. You'll love it around here."

The other woman offered a wary smile. "Hopefully."

Rolling her chair away from the desk, Chloe stood up. "Alright, I have everything I need, let's check this guy out."

After letting the woman unclip the handle and leash from his harness, Chloe weighed the dog before setting him up on the exam table. His owner stood up and shuffled to stand next to it, threading her fingers through his fur. Chloe listened to his heart, took a look at his gums and teeth and nodded to herself.

"Everything sounds perfect, his heart is good and strong. I'll just give him the shot and you'll be good to go!"

"Good boy," she heard the woman gush while she prepped the syringe, and smiled to herself yet again. She loved those small interactions from most owners with their dogs. She also knew that the bond between an assistance dog and their master was particularly strong. Turning around, Chloe quickly administered the shot, rubbing the pain away once she was done.

The golden retriever didn't look fazed at all as he stared at her with his tongue lolling out, obviously very relaxed.

"Good job, buddy. All done! Can I give him a treat?"

"Sure."

Chloe hummed to herself as she reached for the box on the shelf next to her, pulling a treat out and giving it to Jasper.

"I like this song," The woman's voice made Chloe's head shoot up. She hadn't realized she had been singing a particular tune. " _Landslide_."

"Oh! Yeah, it's one of my favorites. They played in LA a couple weeks ago."

"I know," she replied. "I was at the concert."

"Really?! So was I! My best friend got me tickets for my birthday. I really enjoyed it." Chloe beamed, observing the woman in front of her. She almost looked like she could belong to a band. Along with her rocky style, she had piercings in her ears and Chloe had caught a glimpse of a headphone tattoo on her wrist. "You're into music then?"

"Yeah, I, uh, I work at a record label downtown."

Chloe's eyes lit up. "Really? That's amazing!"

The brunette's smile morphed into a grin. "Not as cool as taking care of dogs all day long."

Chloe bit on her bottom lip, feeling giddiness spread over her body when the woman's blue-grey eyes met hers briefly. They had a compelling spell about them and were drawing Chloe in. She didn't realize she had been stepping closer until the exam table between them stopped her journey by pressing into her waist. "Yeah, it's pretty cool. It's been my dream job since I was a kid."

"I can tell you're passionate." She said while petting her dog. Straightening, the woman cleared her throat. "Well, we won't bother you any longer. I'm sure Jasper is not your only patient this afternoon. Ready to go, Jasp?"

"Let me lower the table," Chloe told her, hitting the button to do so. Once on floor level, Jasper hopped down and immediately went to sit next to where his owner stood. Once the woman had paid, Chloe handed her Jasper's documentation back and led the pair to the lobby. She opened the door for them and stepped aside. "Welcome to the neighborhood, Ms. Mitchell. It was nice meeting you."

"It's Beca." She offered, extending her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Beca," Chloe repeated, liking the way the name rolled off her tongue naturally. She slipped her hand into Beca's and shook it. "I'm Chloe."

"Well, I guess we'll see you around, Dr. Chloe."

Beca departed with a small, awkward wave, and Chloe found herself dumbly watching her and her dog walk down the sidewalk until they vanished around the corner.

Minutes later, Chloe debated with herself whether or not it would be unprofessional to pull Beca's phone number from Jasper's file to ask her out.

She turned off her computer before she could give in to that temptation, and focused on paperwork for the last half-hour until closing time, all the while humming some more Fleetwood Mac to herself.

/

The next time she saw Beca was a week later, at the café a block from her house. She had just ordered a macchiato to go and had turned in the direction of the exit, when she caught sight of the woman with her dog. She had managed not to think about her after their initial encounter, but immediately felt that pull the moment her eyes set on Beca.

Chloe approached the table, but couldn't come up with anything to say.

"Can I help you with something?" Beca asked out of the blue a few seconds later, jolting Chloe as she glanced up at her from her computer screen.

"Sorry, I..." she rolled her eyes at herself, feeling very awkward. She moved so that she was no longer looking over Beca's shoulder but rather facing her. "I didn't mean to stare."

"It's okay, I'm used to it. Chloe, right?" Chloe blinked in surprise at being recognized only by her voice. Beca smirked. "Wanna have a seat or are you just going to stand there?"

Letting out a nervous laugh, Chloe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she glanced down to the empty chair. She wasn't one to get nervous around women, and it felt slightly unsettling. "Um, sure, thanks."

The redhead set her cup on the table and dragged the chair out, sitting across from Beca.

"Caramel macchiato?"

Chloe's eyes widened as they glanced down to her drink, then back up at Beca. "How did you know?"

"The loss of one of the senses usually heightens the capacity of the others." Chloe's jaw hung open in puzzlement, just as Beca chuckled. "I'm kidding. While that fact is definitely true, I can only tell the caramel bit. I just took a lucky guess."

"Cheeky," Chloe drawled out, then jerked her chin towards Beca's mug. "What's your poison?"

"Just black coffee. Boring, I know."

"As long as it's good coffee, I don't see what's wrong with that. How have you been?"

Beca shut her computer and sat back. "Good. Busy. You?"

"Same. Lots of customers at the clinic."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is there a flu season for dogs, too?"

Chloe let out a curt laugh, straightening in her seat as she cradled her cup. "No, not really. Just annual check-outs and a few serious cases, but nobody died on my watch so it's been a nice couple of weeks."

"I can't even imagine having to tell an owner their pet died."

Chloe winced, remembering a particular time when she had to explain to an eight-year-old that her dog didn't make it through surgery.

"Yeah, never gets easier."

"Jasper is often seen as a work dog but he's my best friend. He's such a good lad to have around, past the whole, I'll tell you when you can cross the street so you're not run over part."

Chloe chuckled, glancing down at the golden retriever, who had lifted his head towards his owner upon hearing his name. Probably sensing that, Beca reached out to pat his head. He slumped back on the floor, resting his nose on Beca's shoe.

"So you said you worked at a record label? What do you do exactly?" Chloe asked then, curiosity getting the best of her. She had caught a glimpse of the program on Beca's computer when she had looked over her shoulder. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all. I'm a producer. That means I advise on songwriting, arrangement and performance of the artists at the label."

Now Chloe's curiosity was even more peaked. "That's amazing! Anything I might have heard from you?"

"The latest album I produced was Jain's. We co-wrote the lyrics."

Chloe nearly choked on her drink at the information. She coughed while Beca asked her if she was okay, a mix of concern and amusement etched across her features. Chloe couldn't believe she was sat across such an important person among the music industry without even knowing it.

"Are you serious!?"

Beca's head tilted to the side. "You've heard of it?"

"Have I been living under a rock?" Chloe scoffed, slightly offended. "Of course I did! She's probably listed as my favorite artist on Spotify. Her last album is amazing! Well, your last album, I guess."

"Thank you." Beca accepted humbly, but Chloe thought she observed a slight tint to the brunette's cheek over the compliment. Fiddling with her fingers, the other woman seemed to ponder on what she wanted to say. "I, uh... would it be too forward of the producer of your Spotify favorite artist to ask you out on a date?"

Thankfully, Chloe wasn't taking a sip when Beca finally spoke. She still choked on her saliva upon registering the question. The stretch of silence following from her part must have come across as a bad sign, because Beca's hopeful expression turned to a frown as seconds ticked by.

Beca grimaced. "Nevermind, I knew it was too forward. Man, I never seem to know how to read the signs. I'm s-"

"Beca," Chloe interrupted gently, laying a hand over hers. Beca's skin was soft and warm, and the contact alone sent a wave of chills down her spine. She wondered if Beca felt it too. "I'd love to go on a date with you."

"Oh," Beca let out, posture relaxing. "Good, that's- that's-"

"Good?" Chloe offered with a laugh as she squeezed Beca's fingers before letting go. Her nervousness about the whole thing was endearing, and Chloe was dying to know more about her.

"Stop making fun of me, Dr. Beale," Beca chastised while narrowing her eyes. "It's not nice to pick on the less valid."

The teasing tone told Chloe Beca was just joking, and Chloe found it very refreshing, already looking forward to that date to start unwrapping the riddle that was Beca.

Furthermore, those lips looked particularly kissable.

"Are you still here?" Beca asked when Chloe remained silent once more, brain assaulted with not so appropriate thoughts. "I was just joking."

"No, I know. Sorry, I zoned out for a bit." She caught sight of the clock above the door and gasped. She had intended to take her drink to go because she had an appointment she needed to get to. "Shit! I have to go, I'm so running late. I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's okay."

Chloe stood up, looking for her jacket, before realizing she hadn't taken it off in the first place. She really needed to get herself together before that first date. "Can I have your number?"

Beca made a show of widening her eyes. "Woah, that's a bit forward of you."

Chloe shook her head with a smile. "Bec."

Beca cocked an eyebrow with a lopsided smile. "Already on a nickname basis? You don't waste anytime, do you?"

Chloe sighed in mock-frustration. She could be a bit late; the harmless flirting was quite endearing. "Ugh, you're infuriating."

Beca shrugged, arm draping itself over the back of the chair as she turned sideways towards Chloe, who was now standing by the side of the table. "Just wanted to let you know what you're dealing with. Sure you still want to go on that date?"

Chloe rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Yes. Now I really have to go, give me your phone."

"So bossy," Beca grumbled, reaching into the pocket of her hoodie for her phone. She handed the device to Chloe and the latter entered her number, ringing herself so she had Beca's, too. "Just so you know, I use my phone with my voice only so if you entered yourself as hot shot or sweet babe, it won't be able to find you when I tell it to call Chloe."

Chloe giggled as she grabbed her cup off the table. "You're something else, Beca Mitchell. I'm looking forward to that date," she squeezed Beca's shoulder as she walked past, and couldn't resist the temptation to lean in towards her ear and whisper in a purposely husky tone, "Call me."

She laughed when Beca's groan reached her ears, and left the coffee shop feeling a lot happier than when she walked in fifteen minutes ago.

/

Beca called her the following day to set their date. Chloe tried not to act too giddily when Beca's name popped up on her phone while she was having lunch in a park nearby with her colleague and best friend, Stacie.

"Hello?"

 _"Hi, Dr. Beale."_

Chloe's heart made a leap. If that was how it reacted just upon Beca's voice, Chloe was in for a few surprises.

"How are you, Beca?"

 _"I'm good. Great actually, now that I'm hearing your voice."_

Chloe rolled her eyes, absentmindedly playing with her fork. "Well, aren't you chivalrous?"

 _"I try. Is it working?"_

"I guess."

 _"Don't sound too enthusiastic, there."_

Chloe bit back a laugh, standing from the table to get away from Stacie's amused peering. She walked to a nearby tree and leaned against the trunk. "Is there something you wanted?"

 _"Depends, are you still up for a date?"_

"Absolutely."

 _"Is tonight okay or did you have other plans?"_

"Tonight's good. Do you want me to meet you somewhere?"

 _"Actually, I'm playing at this bar until nine. I thought, if you wanted, you could come around eight to be at the show and then we could grab a late dinner somewhere?"_

Chloe frowned. "What do you mean, you're playing?"

 _"Oh, I, uh, yeah, I have a few gigs here and there."_

"Well, aren't you full of surprises. I'd love to. What's the bar?"

Beca told her the name, which ended up being one of Chloe's favorites in the area. _"I'll put your name on the guest list. Until tonight, Dr. Beale."_

Chloe tried to keep her excitement in check once the call ended, but she was Chloe Beale. Her emotions were written all over her face despite how hard she tried to conceal them.

Stacie was chuckling as Chloe got back to the table. "Uh oh. Who's the lucky fella?"

Chloe sighed, fiddling with her phone. "A customer from the other day. I happened to see her again at a cafe yesterday and she asked me out."

"Nice!" Stacie praised with her signature eyebrow wiggle. "I'm looking forward to hearing the saucy details tomorrow, Beale."

Chloe shot her a look. "It's not... I don't think it's going to be just a one time thing. I hope not, anyway."

Stacie's mouth hung open for several seconds. "Oh wow, you're crushing hard."

Chloe bit down hard on her bottom lip so her grin wouldn't split her face into two. She didn't want to feed Stacie's amusement and teasing over it. "I don't know, possibly. I... she's intriguing, and I really want to get to know her."

Despite knowing that Beca wouldn't be able to tell if her outfit was fitting, Chloe changed clothes a fair amount of five times before she finally decided on a black dress and knee high brown boots. She got to the bar just before eight, and was led to a table tucked into a corner in close proximity to the small, cozy stage.

She ordered a martini, surprised when the drink came with an assortment of amuse-bouches.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't order these." She told the waiter, who only smiled.

"Courtesy of Ms. Mitchell."

Of course it was.

"Oh. Thank you."

He nodded his head. "Enjoy your night."

The stage was kept relatively dark until it transitioned to a dim-lightning to reveal Beca sitting on a stool in the middle of it, her guitar propped on her thighs. The audience cheered and Chloe found herself smiling as the singer greeted everyone, cracking a joke or two before launching into the first song.

Chloe was quickly transfixed. Beca's voice was so clear and powerful and her guitar skills, well... let's say Chloe was dying to know if her fingers were as talented in other settings, and found herself blushing furiously at her own thoughts. She only had Stacie to blame for putting the scenario into her head.

By the end of the hour-show, Chloe's drink had barely been touched and the food was still sitting on the plate. She clapped and cheered loudly as Beca wished the crowd a good night. She watched as Beca was helped backstage and impatiently waited for her to come at the table, hands tapping on her thigh.

Beca walked out about ten minutes later, wearing a fresh shirt. It was white and tucked into her black skinny jeans, the top buttons left open to reveal just enough cleavage to let Chloe's imagination wander. Her hair was done in waves and rested mid-shoulders.

Beca thanked the person who led her to the table and felt around for the stool before hopping on it.

"Hi," she greeted with a smile, tilting her head to the side. "Are you having a good time?"

Chloe wanted to roll her eyes at the understatement that was the term 'good'.

"Beca, that was amazing. You're talented. Like, crazy talented."

Beca flushed and dipped her head, her curtain of hair hiding her face briefly.

"I don't know. I just get music, I guess." She replied with a shrug. A different waiter came by and set a beer in front of Beca. She thanked him and raised her bottle. Chloe clinked her glass against it and took a sip. "Thank you for coming. It means a lot to me that you accepted to watch me perform."

Yeah, because that had been a chore.

"Thank you for inviting me. Music holds a great part of my life and I'm glad I got to hear you sing."

"Okay, so you could say I'm off to a good start?" Beca asked with a small smirk. It wasn't cheeky enough to hide her nerves, though, and Chloe liked that, despite her immense talent and success career-wise, Beca didn't seem to let it get to her. She sighed, shoulders slumping. "I'm not- I don't really do first dates. Or dating at all, for that matter. I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm sorry if this is awkward."

Chloe's hand slid across the table to cover Beca's wrist and give it a squeeze. "Don't overthink it. And it's not awkward." Chloe laughed lightly at the deadpan look Beca gave her. "Okay, maybe a little awkward. But it's cute,"

Beca let out a disgruntled sound. "See, cute is not exactly the thing I was going for."

Chloe brought the olive to her mouth and chewed on it. "Oh, don't worry, you're hella sexy, too."

Beca sputtered and choked on her sip, hastily patting the table for a paper napkin to wipe her mouth. "You should warn someone before you say that, Chloe."

"Sorry not sorry?" Chloe offered in a cute tone, which drew a laugh from Beca.

They exchanged small talk over their drinks and mutually decided after forty-five minutes that they should get going if they wanted to make it in time for their reservation.

"I hope you don't mind being my eyes for tonight," Beca said when they stood up. The brunette slipped her leather jacket on and Chloe felt her mouth dry up at her outfit. She definitely rocked that leather. "I decided to give Jasper a night off. He needs it."

"Not a problem, I'm happy to," After putting on her own coat, Chloe took Beca's hand and guided it to the crook of her arm. "This okay?"

Beca smiled softly. "Yeah, that's fine."

"So leaving Jasper home was just an excuse to be able to get your hands on me?"

Beca smirked. "Damn, busted."

While Chloe thought Beca had booked in an expensive restaurant, given the fact that she could definitely afford it, they ended up at a jazz cafe that Chloe had never heard of. It was small and cozy and Chloe would rather have their date there than in a three-star restaurant.

It felt more intimate, and seemed like Beca was a regular. Chloe was pleasantly surprised that Beca brought her somewhere special to her.

They were led to small table in a secluded part of the restaurant, not too close to the stage to be able to hear each other over the instruments. Beca didn't have to look at the menu as she apparently ordered the same thing every time.

"Take your time, though," she said when Chloe told her she would hurry up in choosing her meal. "The night is still young and spending more time with you is definitely not something I'm against."

"You like that, huh? Making me blush?" Chloe asked, closing the menu to look at Beca. "Where did the awkwardness go?"

"You're blushing? I couldn't tell." She answered with a smirk that was far from innocent. Chloe sighed as she shook her head. She had to get used to Beca's sense of humor about the fact that she was blind. "And to answer your question, the alcohol really helps."

Dinner progressed rather smoothly, between sharing stories, pausing to listen to the jazz concert and sharing delicious food.

Chloe was laughing at one of Beca's jokes towards the end of the night, but stopped at her tilt of the head.

"What?" she asked softly. Beca's eyes weren't directly looking into hers, slightly off by a few inches, but Chloe still felt herself growing self-conscious.

"Nothing. I just... I like your laugh. It's melodic and refreshing."

Chloe's heart thumped hard against her ribs. "Thank you, I guess?"

"Can I ask you something?" Beca said as she tucked her card in the check holder, handing it back to the waitress. Chloe had tried to convince her to split the bill, but Beca wouldn't have any of it, stating something about how she was the one to ask Chloe out.

"Fire away."

"I'd like to..." Beca hesitated as Chloe straightened, leaning forward in interest. Beca eventually sighed and gave in to her apparent dilemma. "Can you tell me about your eyes? If, if that's okay. I hope it doesn't make me sound creepy. I-I just... I think they are the most important and powerful feature in someone's expression and I'd like to imagine what yours look like."

Chloe opened her mouth to say something, but faltered. She had never described her own eyes to anyone. She didn't even know if Beca knew colors; if she was born blind or if it was the result of an accident or a disease. She couldn't find in herself the courage to ask, afraid of upseting the other woman if she pried too much.

"Of course. They are blue."

"What kind of blue? Like any color, blue has a lot of different shades."

That was the answer to Chloe's question. Beca obviously had had the ability to see at some point in her life. That piece of information only made her curiosity grow.

"Ocean blue, I guess. That's what my mom always said." Since Beca looked embarrassed about prying for information, Chloe took the initiative to go on. "And I have light red hair. Nearly strawberry blonde in the summer. It's kinda wavy and just past my shoulders. I used to hate it when I was little, but I eventually embraced it and now I love being a redhead."

Beca nodded. "Thank you."

"Is there anything else you would like to know?"

She shook her head with a fond expression. "Let's keep some of the mystery for the second date."

Butterflies erupted inside Chloe's stomach. "Second date?"

"If you want to. I know I do."

She reached across the table and covered Beca's hand with her own. "I'd love to. And I'll plan it, this time."

"Fair enough."

They left the restaurant shortly after, Chloe insisting on walking Beca home since it was not too far. As they exited the establishment, Chloe reached for Beca's hand, instead of leading it to the crook of her arm like before.

"This okay?" she asked uncertainly, gauging for any reaction. Beca surprised her yet again by threading their fingers.

Chloe puffed out a breath as Beca spoke.

"Even better."

The fifteen-minute-walk to Beca's house was spent in mostly comfortable silence, their bound hands slightly swinging between them, more than their pace called for. Chloe led Beca up the few steps leading to the front door and stepped aside for her to slide the key into the lock. Jasper came to greet them the second they stepped through the door, Beca crouching down to pet him for a few seconds before he retreated to his cushion in the corner.

Beca's house was modern and decorated with fine taste from the glimpse Chloe had over the open kitchen and living-room.

"I had a great time tonight, Beca."

Beca grinned, hooking her thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans as they stood with little distance between them. Enough distance to keep Chloe from leaning in and kissing Beca. "So did I. Are you sure you don't want me to call you a cab?"

"No, it's fine. I like to walk. And it's all safe areas to my place, so I'll be fine."

"Okay," Beca eventually relented. "Text me when you get home, still?"

Chloe nodded. "I will."

After a slight beat of hesitation, she leaned in and pressed her lips to the apple of Beca's cheek, letting them linger maybe a second or two more than necessary. Beca's hand found her elbow, her fingers running over her forearm and hand as Chloe stepped back.

"Goodnight, Bec."

This time, there was a definite blush to Beca's face and Chloe grinned triumphantly.

Two could definitely play that game.

"Goodnight, Chloe."

/

Between Beca's busy schedule and Chloe's ectic days at the clinic, it was another week before the second date could take place. They still texted regularly throughout the week, sharing stories about their day and playing twenty questions almost every night, Chloe mostly trying to pin down what Beca liked in terms of food.

She also learned that Beca taught herself the guitar, that she spoke fluent French, that she was afraid of birds and that sarcasm was her second language.

The doorbell ringing startled Chloe out of her thoughts. She turned down the stove and wiped her hands on her apron, tossing it aside and smoothing down her dress before walking to the front door.

Pulling it open, she smiled upon seeing Beca and Jasper on her doorstep.

"Hi!" she chirped, her smile morphing into a grin when Beca returned it. "Careful with the step."

As soon as she was inside, Beca easily unhooked Jasper's harness and told him he could rest. The dog spent a couple of seconds sniffing around before he settled down next to the couch.

"I uh, I didn't know what we are eating so I brought this," she said, extending a paper bag toward Chloe. Upon peering inside, Chloe realized she had bought all three kinds of wine.

"You didn't have to," she told Beca softly, taking the bag nonetheless. "Thank you."

Beca hummed as she shrugged off her coat. Chloe took it and hung it on a hook, before slipping her hand into Beca to tug her towards the kitchen.

"Smells good," Beca observed as she stepped into the open area. "Is that garlic?"

"Yep, garlic bread baking in the oven."

Beca made a noise of approval, laying a hand over her chest. "A woman after my own heart. What else did you make?"

Chloe tutted as she moved to retrieve said-bread from the oven. "Nuh-huh, I'm liking this game of you having to guess every scent and flavor."

Beca barked out a laugh. "Challenge accepted."

"Would you like a beer?" Chloe asked once she had stirred the sauce cooking in the pot, already walking to the fridge as Beca remained still, hands set on the kitchen island in front of her. Chloe figured being someplace new must feel unsettling to someone who doesn't have the ability to see.

"Yes, please."

They made small talk while Chloe cut the bread and arranged it onto the cutting board.

After handing Beca a chilled beer and pouring herself a glass of wine, Chloe grabbed the bread and led Beca to the living-room space, guiding her to sit on the couch without making it seem like she was telling her exactly where to sit. She hoped she was threading with middle-ground; she didn't want Beca to feel as though she needed to be babysat, but didn't want her to feel stranded in an unfamiliar place, either.

Once she had set up a Spotify playlist, Chloe joined Beca on the couch, tucking her legs under her as she faced the other woman.

Clinking their respective drinks together, they both took a sip as music started to pour into the room through the home entertainment speakers.

"You don't have any pets?" Beca asked with a tilt of her head, cradling the side of her head in the hand she had propped-up against the back of the couch.

"No. I know it sounds weird for a vet, but I'm so busy that it wouldn't be fair to them. They would spend most of their days locked inside."

"What about a cat?"

Chloe's nose scrunched up. "I'm definitely a dog person."

"Are you going to keep ticking off every item of my list?" Beca wondered with a raised eyebrow. There was a smirk tugging her lips upwards as Chloe stared at her in curiosity.

"Your list?"

Clearing her throat, Beca took a sip from her beer before answering. She was fiddling with the label of the bottle, and Chloe briefly wondered if she was nervous around her, still. "Of all the silly things I look for in someone. That makes me sound kinda superficial, doesn't it?"

"Everybody has certain things they look for in someone." Chloe said as she tried to control her racing heart. "Which items have I ticked off so far?"

Beca pursed her lips thoughtfully, but Chloe was convinced it was just a show to keep her waiting. "Likes garlic, is a dog person, and can sing beautifully."

"How do you know I can sing?"

Beca's eyes widened and she became a little bit flustered. "Uh, I may or may not have typed your name on Google? Not-not in a stalking way or anything, I was just curious. And then Youtube popped up a video of an acapella group and although I couldn't see you, I recognised your singing parts."

"You recognised my singing voice?"

"Well, yeah. It's not that different from your speaking voice, I think. Soothing and very angel-like."

Chloe smiled. "Thank you. Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"I was curious as to how you used your computer. But if you don't want to answer that, it's fine, I don't mean to pry."

"Oh," Beca let out. "No, you're fine, I get that you're curious. My keyboard is braille and I have a screen reader that basically tells me what's on there. So when results came up that you were a national champion of a capella, I had to check you out on YouTube."

Chloe buried her face in her hands. Hopefully Beca hadn't seen the one where Aubrey puked.

And then, she realized Beca was one of the most successful music producers in the country and probably thought she was a loser for singing those songs.

"Ugh, the songs we sang were kinda lame, now that I think about it. My best friend, Aubrey, was obsessed with singing songs written by women from the last century."

Beca chuckled, teeth racking over her bottom lip as she seemed to hold a grin in. "Well, I won't lie and tell you that I enjoyed the songs. They aren't really my jam."

Chloe hummed in interest. "What's your jam, then?"

Beca shrugged, cradling her beer bottle. "I don't have a specific style. I guess it depends on my mood. I can enjoy soft, chill music as much as today's radio music or some RNB from the nineties."

"But do you find yourself producing the same style of music? Unlike you, I haven't pulled up your wikipedia page," she leaned forward, feeling bold, her lips grazing the outline of Beca's ear as she spoke lowly. "I wanted to keep some of the mystery alive."

Smiling triumphantly when she heard Beca's breathing itch, Chloe nearly managed to keep hers steady as Beca pulled away to set her bottle on the table and set her now free hand on Chloe's leg, just above her knee. Beca raised an eyebrow, probably surprised to realize Chloe was wearing a dress. Chloe had forgotten Beca couldn't tell what she was wearing until now.

She felt goosebumps ripple along the journey of Beca's hand, stopping when it reached her mid-thigh and knew, from Beca's smirk, that she could feel them under her palm, too.

"I mostly produce pop. But what I like the most is discovering new talent with great potential and try to help them reach the top. It started when I met this girl in college. Her name was Emily, she was a freshman during my senior year. I was an intern at a recording label at that time and I was trying to get my boss to listen to my mixes. He said he wanted something original. I heard Emily sing once when we were both at the laundromat and asked her if she'd like to record it in the studio." Beca smiled fondly at the memory and had that spark in her eye as she told it. "My boss loved it and offered Emily a contract. A couple months later, her song Flashlight was at the top of the charts."

"Hold on," Chloe frowned, doing a double-take. "Are we talking about Emily _Junk?_ "

"Yes."

"You were her producer?!"

Beca chuckled, probably amused by Chloe's palpable excitement over this. "Technically, no. Residual Heat was her producer. I just arranged the song. And then she went on to conquer LA and signed with another label. We're still good friends and hang out once in a while, when she's not busy being on tour and making everyone fall in love with her."

"That's amazing! I love her songs. I guess I'll have to wikipedia you now, to see if you are the magic behind more artists I like."

Beca's smile reached her eyes when she snapped them to Chloe and Chloe felt something shift within her as she let herself believe that she was or rather, what she said, was the reason behind that smile. And she knew right then that she wanted to see that smile over and over in the near future.

Clearing her throat as she tried to stir her mind away from going too fast and burning steps, Chloe straightened.

"The food is probably ready. Shall we?"

Beca's stomach growled a second later, making her blush furiously while Chloe only chuckled as she tugged her up and towards the kitchen. After dinner, which went smoothly (Chloe was a bit nervous about messing it up, but every course ended up being perfectly edible), both woman retreated back to the couch to polish off their glasses of wine.

The time ticking by seemed to work like a magnet on them both as conversation stirred over light, pleasant subjects. By midnight, Chloe ended up with her legs on Beca's lap, her arm draped behind the brunette over the length of the couch. It seemed Beca liked Chloe's hands, as she kept playing with her fingers or tracing patterns along her palm while they talked.

Chloe giggled when Beca's finger traced one of the lines in her hand. Beca looked up in question. "Tiklish."

"Sorry," Beca offered with an soft smile. Her hand hiked up Chloe's arm, until it set on her collarbone. Silently, she ran her finger along the juncture where Chloe's neck met her shoulder, up the curve of her neck, the sharpness of her jaw, the dip in her chin.

They were fully clothed, yet Chloe had never felt so intimate with someone as she did right then. Her heart was thumping so loudly in her ears, she thought it might beat out of them when Beca's thumb grazed her bottom lip.

A few seconds ticked by where Beca remained still. Chloe stared, mouth slightly parted, breath catching somewhere in her throat as Beca tilted her face slightly up. Chloe met her in the middle, brushing her lips against Beca's, before dipping in the rest of the way. Chloe's hand slid from the back of the couch to tangle in dark curls, tugging Beca further towards her as she herself scooted closer until she was sitting in her lap.

Beca's lips glided gently against hers, taking their time to explore every detail about them. It was patient, broken up into series of nips and soft strokes of the tongue that made Chloe's legs turn to jelly.

They eventually broke apart to draw some oxygen in their burning lungs. Chloe rested her forehead against Beca's cheek, feeling the muscle twitch as the shorter woman smiled.

Neither of them said anything as they breathed deeply, treading the same air.

"Spend the night here?" Chloe found herself asking after a minute. Beca rose a playful eyebrow at the bold request. While it should have made Chloe feel slightly self-conscious about coming across as desperate or clingy, she had never been one to hide how she truly felt. "Not for what you're thinking. I mean, I'm down for that, obviously, but I'd-I'd like to take things slow. I just don't want you to go yet."

She felt Beca squeeze her waist. "I don't want to leave, either."

Their moment was broken when Beca's phone lit up on the coffee table, Chloe jumping when a robotic voice started to speak.

"New text from Jesse," it announced, as Chloe looked at it curiously. "Hey, Beca. How's the date going? Did you seal the deal, yet? Insert wiggling eyebrows."

Chloe sank her teeth hard in her bottom lip, but the damage was already done when a giggle wormed its way through. Beca groaned, letting her head drop against the back of the couch.

"I'm going to kill him."

"Who's Jesse?" Chloe asked, running her hand up and down Beca's arm soothingly.

"My idiot of a best friend. He's anything but subtle, as you probably figured. Sorry about this. I never said anything about 'sealing the deal'."

Chloe snickered. "It's okay. If it's any consolation, you did seal the deal with that kiss. Damn."

Beca lifted her head, grinning coily. "Yeah? You're down to do it again, then?"

Chloe figured she could show Beca instead of giving her a verbal answer.

/

It felt strange, yet natural how easily they fell into step with one another. From the second date, they didn't spend a day without either talking or seeing each other. Beca spent every week-end at Chloe's, claiming it was just for her cooking skills, her comfortable mattress and because Jasper seemed to like her house.

And Chloe, well, she was growing accustomed to waking up next to Beca. She liked how Beca felt comfortable moving around her house after a while. She liked waking up on Sundays to Beca singing in the kitchen while cooking breakfast.

She was falling hard and steady, but somehow, it wasn't that scary.

/

Their first proper night together was one Chloe would likely remember for the rest of her life. It sounded cheesy, she was aware, but it was the goddamn truth.

She discovered that Beca's lack of sight made things interesting. Chloe could sneak up on her, on unexpected spots, without Beca being able to predict her journey. Beca's senses were definitely heightened in those moments, but the trust she had for Chloe, letting her touch her in the most intimate places without being able to anticipate it as anyone would, never failed to give Chloe's desire a thrill rush.

She learned that Beca was very attentive, to say the least. Attentive to the sounds Chloe made, the way her body moved as it craved more, the way her breathing picked up when Beca found a sensitive spot as she explored Chloe's curves and dips through her mouth and hands, as if to etch a map of her body in her mind.

She also found out that Beca's fingers were not only skilled with a guitar, if the two back-to-back orgasms Chloe had just experienced were any proof of that.

Stumbling over the edge for the third time (in a row), Chloe whimpered as her body went limp over the mattress, chest heaving up and down as she attempted to catch her breath.

Beca kissed her way back up, alternating between nips and soft bites and coaxing Chloe down from her high, before she settled down next to her.

"Holy shit," Chloe let out before she could reign it in, still panting. Beca laughed into her neck and dropped a kiss there as she drew patterns over Chloe's abdomen. "Fuck. I need a time out."

"I have never heard you curse before," Beca murmured into her ear, voice low and husky, a new pool of desire building up in the pit of Chloe's stomach just from hearing it. "It's hot."

Chloe hummed and twisted her head to kiss her softly, feeling that post-bliss sleepiness steadily seep into her limbs.

She had started to doze off, lulled by Beca's hand running up and down her side when Beca spoke.

"I was sixteen years old when it happened." Chloe didn't have to ask what she was referring to. She hadn't dared ask Beca how she had lost her sight. It had been sitting there, on the tip of her tongue, but never made the leap past her teeth. She didn't want to test Beca's trust by prying for information she wasn't ready to share. Stirring onto her side, Chloe ran a hand over Beca's arm to show her she was listening. "My dad and I were driving home from school. We were arguing about my grades. A truck ran a red light and plowed right into our car."

Chloe remained silent, waiting for the rest of the story. She squeezed Beca's hand in encouragement.

"It rolled several times and I lost consciousness when I hit my head against the metal part of the windshield. The injuries to my brain caused my loss of sight." She paused for a stretch, as if gathering strength for what came next. "My dad died on impact. He... we didn't really get along. He had left my mom and I when I was ten and when my mom moved to Europe, I had to move in with him and his new wife, whom I despised. He and I always had a difficult relationship but... he was still my dad."

Chloe swallowed with difficulty but didn't dare interrupt. She continued rubbing the pad of her thumb across Beca's knuckles.

"I woke up a few hours later, completely trapped into darkness. It was... is, the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced. My life as I knew it before changed overnight. I didn't go back to school right away, and when I did, I was dreading to be pitied but instead, people started to pick on me. Guys would tell me nobody would ever date a blind girl."

The pain spreading in Chloe's chest had become unbearable. She didn't realize she was crying until she caught the droplets seeping into the sheet. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision and exhaled shakily.

"I'm so sorry, Beca."

Beca managed a small smile, and shrugged. "It's fine now. My mom moved back here and I was home schooled for the rest of high-school. That's when I started writing music. It kept me afloat. It kept me sain. My hearing made up for my lack of sight and I developed perfect pitch. Even if the first few years were tough, I am able to live almost the same way I used to now, save for driving. And watching movies, but I've never liked watching movies, so."

Chloe let out a watery laugh at Beca's attempt of a joke. She brought their linked hands to her mouth, pressing her lips to the back of Beca's.

"Thank you for telling me."

She felt Beca's thumb stroke her knuckles as the brunette nodded. "Thank you for not pressing the matter. Even if I joke about my inability to see, it's still a sore subject. I usually don't open up about it so soon in a relationship. I feel like if I do, I'm allowing whoever I'm with to see the vulnerable me when I don't know if they'll stick around, or if I even want them to. But you... God, I almost told you about it on our second date. I felt drawn to you so quickly that it scared me at first. It still scares me a little bit; how deeply I'm falling for you."

Chloe pulled away, blinking twice in slow succession as Beca's words settled within her. A wave of warmth spread over her chest, chasing away the sadness that had wormed its way to her heart upon hearing Beca's story. Shuffling closer to Beca, Chloe placed a kiss on her bare shoulder as she held the shorter woman in a loose hold.

"I'm falling for you, too."

"Phew," Beca let out. "Thank God. That would have been awkward if not."

The change of tone in Beca's voice made Chloe's demeanor relax. She giggled and buried her face into the crook of Beca's neck, not resisting to press her lips there briefly. Beca's skin was smooth and smelt of leftover perfume.

"You're a dork."

"Guilty." She kissed Chloe softly before setting her head back on the pillow. "Chlo?"

A smile pulled at Chloe's lips. She was growing fond of the shortened version of her name on Beca's tongue.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad I walked into your clinic that day."

Chloe's heart did that thing where it melted into a puddle. "So am I, baby. So am I."

/

Chloe was woken up by the shrill ringing of her phone. She reached for it blindly, her hand hitting the bedside table several time before she finally grabbed the device. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes as she answered.

"Hello?"

She looked beside her. Beca wasn't home. She was supposed to sleep at Chloe's after her gig. An uncomfortable feeling gripped Chloe's stomach.

 _"Hi, is this Ms. Beale?"_

"Yes. Who is this?"

 _"I'm a nurse at the LA General Hospital. You are listed as emergency contact for Beca Mitchell. She was brought in an hour ago."_

Any trace of sleep suddenly fled from Chloe's body and mind.

"What? What happened? Is she okay?"

 _"She's fine, but she asked for you to come pick her up."_

Chloe threw herself out of bed, already looking for something to wear. "I'm on my way."

Chloe probably broke a few speed limits as she drove to the hospital. Despite knowing that Beca was fine physically, she had to make sure for herself. She ran up to the doors and sputtered her name out at the desk. She was led to a curtained area, in which Beca sat on a gurney, looking fine, save from a plaster on her forehead.

"Chlo?" she asked immediately when she heard the curtain being pulled back. "This you?"

Features finally relaxing, Chloe stepped to the edge of the gurney and laid a hand on Beca's thigh.

"It's me." She leaned in to kiss Beca's forehead, her heart breaking when a sob escaped from her girlfriend's throat. She had never seen Beca break down before. Chloe wrapped her arms around her and drew soothing circles along her back, wondering how long Beca had been holding her emotions back in. She knew how new environments triggered Beca's anxiety, how her inability to see made it much more difficult for her to be comfortable in a place she'd never been before. "It's okay. I'm here. Are you okay?"

"I'm, I'm fine, I think. Better now that you're here."

Chloe pulled away slowly, her hand enclasping Beca's as her eyes ran over her face. "What happened?"

"I was just coming out of the bar and about to hail a cab when someone rammed into me and tried to take my purse. He, um, he managed with a bit of force and knocked me down. I think my head hit the pavement, I don't remember much. It all happened so quickly, I..."

Beca's voice died down at the end of her ramble, and she inhaled sharply, as if to keep from crying. Chloe's hand rose to brush Beca's hair away from her face, catching a few fresh tears in the process.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry."

"Is Jasp okay?" Beca asked then. Chloe looked down to see the golden retriever lying by the gurney. She hadn't even noticed he was there, her sole focus being on Beca. Chloe squeezed Beca's hand before she crouched down to assess the dog.

After a minute, she stood back up. "He's fine. Just got a thorough check-up by Dr. Beale."

Her comment pulled a faint smile from Beca. "Can we go home?"

"Absolutely," Chloe helped her down and gave her the handle of Jasper's harness, who had sprung up at the mention of 'home'. "I'll drive you back to your house."

"No, I meant your place, if that's okay." Beca admitted somewhat sheepishly. "That's what I meant by home."

Chloe's heart fluttered as she reached for Beca's other hand, threading their fingers.

"You got it."

When they got home, Beca insisted she wanted to take a shower to get rid of the hospital smell. Chloe went back to bed in the meantime, but wasn't able to go to sleep until Beca slipped under the covers.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Beca asked her in a whisper, and Chloe felt her arm slip around her waist and Beca's head rest on her shoulder.

She dropped a kiss into Beca's hair. "How did you know I was awake?"

"Your breathing was irregular."

Chloe hummed, fingers drumming over Beca's arm draped over her midsection. "Are you sure you're okay? Does your head hurt? Should I look out for a seizure?"

Apart from her loss of sight, the injuries to Beca's brain following the accident sometimes caused epileptic seizures. Chloe had never witnessed it herself, but Beca had warned her it could happen and told her what to do in case it did.

"I'm good, I promise. They did a CT and everything was normal. And if I do have a seizure, Jasper will know. Besides, I won't hurt myself in bed." Beca squeezed her waist gently. "Stop worrying."

"I can't help it," Chloe murmured back. "I love you too much not to worry."

She didn't even realize what she had said until she felt Beca's smile against her skin. A kiss was pressed to her bare shoulder, next to the strap of her tank top.

"I love you, too." Beca's hand slipped under her top and curled around her hip, like it did every night, and Chloe felt her chest heave and go down through a content sigh. "Now go to sleep, it's late."

"Are you sure I don't need to wake you up in a few hours?"

She knew Beca was rolling her eyes at this point. "Chlo, I'm fine. I feel normal, I promise. Okay?"

Chloe's tensed muscles finally gave in as she rested back against the pillows. "Okay. Goodnight, Bec."

"Goodnight, baby."

/

Chloe giggled as she molded herself to Beca's back. She felt intoxicated; both by the alcohol she had consumed over dinner and the desire radiating through her entire body in the form of waves.

"Chloe," Beca hissed, feeling around for the lock to be able to slide the key into it. Chloe grinned against Beca's skin, lightly biting on a spot in the crook of her neck. "You're not making things any easier."

She wrapped her arm around Beca's waist, tugging her flush against her as her hand slipped under Beca's shirt to run over toned skin. "I want you."

"Open the goddamn door, then."

Accepting the key Beca presented her with, Chloe kissed Beca soundly as she rounded her to open the door swiftly, slightly stumbling over the step in her inebriated state. Letting out a curse, Chloe managed to grip the door frame to keep herself from face-planting on the floor.

"What happened?" Beca's concerned tone reached her ears and made her sober up. She glanced behind her to witness a flash of panic in Beca's restless eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, baby, just lost my balance," Straightening, she reached out to grab Beca's hand and guide her in. "I think I'm a little drunk."

Beca snickered. "Jeez. You think?"

"Shut your face..." she demanded in a tone that failed to make her intimidating in the slightest. "And kiss me."

Beca made a show of rolling her eyes, walking Chloe back until her back was pressing against the wall, drawing a moan from her. "So demanding."

They had just had a quiet dinner at one of their favorite restaurants, ending up drinking more than planned. Chloe being unable to drive back, they got an Uber back to Chloe's place.

Beca's fingers skimmed underneath her shirt, trailing up her side. Chloe giggled and batted her hand away. She draped her arms over Beca's shoulder, trailing a series of kisses over the curve of Beca's jaw.

"Carry me to bed?"

Beca chuckled, letting her fingers glide along Chloe's back. "Sure. Have the _tiny_ , blind girl carry you up a flight of stairs. I wonder what could go wrong."

Chloe laughed and bit down on her bottom lip. "You're probably right."

"You can carry me, though." Beca countered.

"I believe I'm too drunk."

Beca squeezed her waist, pressing her lips to Chloe's briefly before resting her forehead against hers.

"We make quite the team, don't we?"

It was meant as teasing, but Chloe knew there was a definite underlying meaning to it. She hummed, stealing another kiss.

"Yep. I love you."

Any trace of alcohol in her system was overtaken with the overpowering feeling of love and admiration for the woman in front of her, slowly seeping into her veins.

Beca grinned, lifting her eyes to meet hers. It didn't happen often, and each time, Chloe felt short of breath by the intensity of their blues.

"I love you, too."

/

Chloe usually hated slow days.

Except when her girlfriend was on national TV.

Ellen Degeneres was airing in a little over ten minutes. And Beca was on it. Her girlfriend was going to be on the Ellen show.

Eight months into their relationship, Beca admitted to Chloe that she had been working on a solo album for the last year and a half, and that it would be coming out in just a few days.

She had squealed and almost tackled Beca to the ground in her unrestrained excitement. Then, she had spent the next hour listening to it while Beca was in the studio, and ended up tearing up on her couch, both from pride and emotion over the beauty of the lyrics and melody Beca had woven together.

Chloe felt giddy just thinking about it as the show came on. She remembered that day two weeks ago when Beca had called her from backstage with a case of the jitters. She had needed to hear Chloe's voice to calm down sufficiently before going out there.

Her first television appearance.

Chloe managed to put up the channel stream on her computer and absent-mindedly listened to the other guests as she took care of some paperwork.

"Stacie! She's on!"

Her colleague and best friend hastily walked over, standing behind Chloe as the lights moved to the piano, where Beca already sat.

Yes, she played the piano, and perfectly at that. When she learned about it, Chloe had wondered back then when that girl would cease to amaze her.

Scratch that, she was still wondering to this day.

The few notes played out, joined by Beca's voice for the opening verse. Chloe had listened to this track, last on Beca's album, countless times over the last few days. Yet, it still sent chills down her spine, goosebumps rising on her forearms as she mouthed the words along with Beca.

"Oh wow," Stacie whispered at the end of the song. "She's amazing."

As the audience's applause died down, Beca stood, looking fabulous in a white top, denim jacket, black leather pants and burgundy ankle boots. She made her way to the chair across from Ellen, Jasper slightly ahead of her, the dog looking quite unfazed about being on national TV.

She only took her eyes off the screen when her phone lit up with a new text message from her mother.

 **Mamma Beale**

 _We're watching! Beca looks absolutely STUNNING, honey! Your dad and I finally bought her album! Love you both!_

Chloe laughed. Her parents adored Beca, ever since they first met her two months ago. Setting her phone down, she made a mental note to reply to her later.

Ellen was beaming as they both sat down. "Welcome! I've been told this was your first interview on television, and I'm very happy to be the one doing it."

Beca returned the smile, but hers was a bit strained, probably from nerves. Her hand was tightly wrapped around Jasper's leash as the dog sat by her feet. "Well, you've always been my favorite show to watch over the years so it seemed fitting."

"Thank you." Ellen seemed to be fighting off an uncharacteristic blush as she smiled fondly. "So, congratulations are in order, your new album just turned platinum!"

Beca dipped her head down as the audience applauded and hooted. "Yeah, thank you, I... I can't quite believe it just yet."

"So how long have you been making music?"

"Since I was a teenager. It started with playing the guitar, and eventually I began writing my own stuff, and the rest is history."

Ellen and Beca spent the next few minutes exchanging about Beca's childhood town, her influences in music and college experience.

"You're not only an amazing singer and songwriter, but also the producer to many hits this year, including Jain's Come and Alright."

"That's right. I'm lucky enough to work with amazingly talented artists on a daily basis so my job isn't that hard."

Chloe scolded at Beca's humbleness. She was probably the most driven and hardworking person Chloe knew, always having to tell Beca to stop work-stuff well past ten in the evening on several occasions.

"And I guess you are also quite lucky in the romance department, am I right?"

Ellen had her signature smirk showing, just as a photo of Chloe and Beca appeared on the screen behind the pair. It was a candid photo of them taken a few weeks ago when they had gone for a stroll to the beach, if Chloe recalled correctly. She never read tabloids or googled herself or Beca, so the photo was new to her.

She had been captured mid-laugh, probably over one of Beca's jokes, while her girlfriend smiled, her head twisted to the side in Chloe's direction. Their fingers were linked in a loose hold, and the happiness radiating from them both through the photograph made Chloe's heart do that weird thing again.

Beca laughed when the audience 'awed' and looked towards Ellen questioningly. "Which one of my girlfriends did you put up there? It's not like I can tell, and I don't want to get into trouble, Ellen."

Ellen chuckled, obviously liking Beca's way with sarcasm. "So, you got a thing for redheads, huh?"

Any sheepishness was wiped off Beca's face the second Ellen asked the question, to be replaced by a certain sense of fondness that made Chloe's chest ache in a beautiful way.

"Only this one. She's pretty amazing and the kindest person I know. And she makes me very, very happy." Beca cleared her throat, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's all I'll say."

"Smooth," Stacie commented from behind her, and Chloe jumped slightly, having forgotten all about her presence.

"And that's all we need to hear," Ellen finished off, turning to her audience. "Beca Mitchell, everyone! Her album, Captive, is in the stores now!"

Blinking away those stupid tears, Chloe managed to get the rest of her paperwork done while being flooded with texts from various friends and family members who had obviously watched Ellen, as well as Instagram notifications, probably from Beca's fans. She got home at a reasonable time, surprised to see that Beca was already at her place.

Frankly, she could get used to coming home to Beca every single day.

"Hey babe," Beca greeted from her spot on the couch, computer propped up on her lap with a mixing program opened up. She had one headphone on, the other tucked behind her ear as usual.

After giving Jasper his usual belly rub, Chloe plopped down on the leather surface, tucking her legs under her. She leaned in to kiss Beca's cheek and sat back.

"So tell me, how many girlfriends are we talking about?"

Beca snickered, shutting her computer and setting it on the coffee table to be able to sit sideways. "I take it you watched Ellen?"

Chloe slipped her hand into one of Beca's. "Of course I did! You almost managed to make me cry, you doofus."

"Just almost? _Man,_ I wasn't cheesy enough."

Gasping, Chloe shoved her shoulder while Beca laughed, squealing as Chloe tickled her sides until she was lying back on the couch, panting for breath as Chloe hovered above her.

Leaning down to kiss her quickly, Chloe smiled. "For the record, you make me very, very happy, too. You know what would make me even happier?"

Beca's hand trailed down her neck and shoulder, running over her spine until it slipped under Chloe's shirt, caressing the skin of her lower back. "I'm all ears."

"If you and Jasper moved in. Officially."

Chloe's house wasn't ideal for Beca's handicap, mostly because of the stairs that led to her bedroom and the step to get into the shower. But she also knew Beca loved Chloe's home more than she did hers as she had been spending most of her time at Chloe's as their relationship developed.

Beca hummed in thought, a lopsided smile on her lips. "Are you sure? We're very grumpy in the morning. Not to mention high-maintenance."

"I know all this, because you spend all your time here already. I know what I'm signing up for. I hope you know what you're signing up for, too. Lots of singing, reality TV and rom-coms. So? What do you say? Want to make it official?"

"Of course I want to move in with you, Chlo. And there are a lot of other things I want to do with you, down the road."

Chloe's breathing itched at the undertone lined in that sentence. The hand at Beca's hip squeezed gently, and she was once again closing the gap between them to place a more thorough kiss on Beca's lips. A kiss that hopefully translated how much she wanted that, too.

"Deal."

/

If most of the time, Beca seemed confident and at ease with her lack of sight, sometimes she felt vulnerable. Chloe knew this because Beca had told her about it, but she had never witnessed it until now.

It was just a few days after they had decided to move in together. Beca was keeping her house, deciding to rent it out rather than selling it. Chloe was helping her pack that day, and they were putting her kitchen stuff into boxes when it happened.

As she was handling putting the glasses into a box resting on the counter, Beca knocked over one of them with her elbow, and it fell out of the cupboard, shattering on the tile floor a second later. Beca jumped at the unexpected crash, clutching at her chest as she turned around.

Chloe paused, rising from her crouched position. She was barefoot, so she hung back.

"It's okay, it's just a glass," She told Beca gently, who was still frozen in her spot, distress etched in her features. "Let me get some shoes on, I'll sweep it up."

"I'll do it, it's fine." Beca said after a second or two, already crouching down to pick up the bigger pieces of glass. "I broke it, you don't have to take care of it."

There was a slight edge to Beca's voice that perhaps Chloe should have paid attention to, instead of speaking the next few words.

"You're gonna hurt yourself, I can do it."

Beca's glare was slightly off focus as she looked up, but it still managed to make Chloe regret her words, or rather the way she said them. "I said I've got it, Chloe. I'm not a fucking _child_."

Chloe fell silent, words dying on her tongue as Beca's cold voice clawed at her heart. What she was afraid might happen, did. While picking up a piece of glass, Beca cut her palm.

"Shit," the shorter woman hissed, bringing her injured hand in towards her chest as she stood up.

"Beca, let me see," Chloe requested softly, not caring that she was barefoot anymore as she padded around the broken glass.

"I'm fine," Beca bit out, keeping her hand out of reach. Chloe could feel the invisible shield materializing around her girlfriend, keeping her at bay. "It's just a scratch."

Chloe frowned, having a hard time understanding Beca's behavior. "Beca, it's not a scratch, you might need stitches. Let me have a look,"

Beca's fist coming hard against the counter made her jump.

"I said I'm fine! Can you knock it off?" Chloe's mouth hung open, Beca's harsh tone strumming through her entire body unpleasantly. She watched as Beca took a shuddering breath out and closed her eyes. "I don't need a babysitter, I've been doing this on my own for the last ten years!"

Chloe recoiled. She tried not to let her emotions get the best of her and make her say something else she might regret later. She squared her shoulders and pursed her lips as she counted to three in her head to will her tone to remain calm and collected.

"I'm going to go home. I'd rather be there on my own, than being yelled at for trying to help. Call me whenever you've calmed down and worked out your issues."

Carefully stepping around the glass, Chloe reigned in a sob as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her jacket off the hook. She swiped a finger underneath her eyes and looked back one last time, expecting Beca to be walking towards her and apologize, but all she heard was the sound of crying in the kitchen.

Twisting the door knob, Chloe slipped out and drove to her house. She wallowed on her couch most of the day, fingers itching to give in and call Beca, while her brain remained convinced of the fact that Beca had been the one out of line.

It was past seven when her phone chimed with a new text.

 **Beca**

 _i'm sorry, Chlo. can we talk? please?_

 **Chloe**

 _Of course. Do you want me to come over?_

 **Beca**

 _No, i'll come to yours, if thats okay._

The doorbell rang ten minutes later, and Chloe stood up from the couch to go open it. Beca was wringing her hands when she appeared on the other side, nervousness painted across her features. It made Chloe's heart soften; clearly Beca felt terrible about what had transpired.

"Hey," Chloe greeted, resting her weight against the open door. Sensing Beca's uncertainty, she reached out and slipped her hand into hers, gently tugging her inside. She didn't let go of it even once they were seated on the couch, facing one another, and Beca didn't seem to mind. That fact alone allowed Chloe to breathe properly for the first time since their ordeal.

"I'm sorry," Beca admitted quietly, eyes focused on her lap. Eventually she glanced up, not quite meeting Chloe's eyes, but Chloe didn't know if it was on purpose or because she didn't know where to look. "I shouldn't have snapped, I just..."

She could see the conflict in Beca's eyes and could tell Beca had so much to say but didn't know where to begin.

"It's okay," Chloe said, squeezing Beca's fingers. "I have time."

"Today you had a glimpse of how vulnerable I can get, sometimes. I can do pretty much everything a sighted person can, but once in a while I'm reminded that it's not as easy, and that's still hard to accept. It's been ten years, yet every time something like that happens, I feel _weak_. And I didn't want you to see that. I didn't want you to see that part of me just yet. Which is ridiculous but... that's why I snapped." Beca closes her eyes briefly, letting a few tears slip down her cheeks. "I was ashamed. You are the only person in my life who doesn't baby me. Who doesn't treat me like I'm an invalid. And I didn't want to show you any reason that you should."

"Beca," Chloe whispered, voice stuck somewhere in her throat. She shuffled closer and cupped her girlfriend's cheek, the pad of her thumb swiping the tears away. "You have _nothing_ to be ashamed of. Your lack of sight doesn't define you, and it never will. Not to my eyes anyway. Have you even taken a minute to think about how much you have achieved? I've never met anyone so driven and talented at what they do. You are anything but weak. Weakness and vulnerability are not the same thing. I feel vulnerable from time to time. That's _human_ , and that's okay."

"I love you." Beca murmured hoarsely, and Chloe met her in the middle to share a mending kiss. "Thank you for being hearing me out. I was an asshole. I'm so sorry, Chlo."

Chloe reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Beca's ear, letting her fingers trace the outline of Beca's jaw before her hand dropped back to her lap.

"Apology accepted. And I'd rather you tell me this stuff than keep it all for yourself. Just like it's okay to ask for help even for small things. That doesn't make you weaker or needy, just as it doesn't make me your assistant or caretaker. People in a relationship support each other and we're no different. Got it?"

A smile eventually graced Beca's lips. "You're right. I still need to get used to having someone I can lean on, I guess. Thank you."

From then on, their relationship reached a new level. Beca was more trusting and let go of her insecurities about her lack of sight. Even though she mostly spent her time at Chloe's house already, it was still different when she moved in.

Chloe learned that she couldn't move stuff from their usual spot without telling Beca about it. The result of her inattention led to a very, very spicy dinner when, after cleaning up the spice closet, she inverted the jalapeno ground pepper with the normal one and Beca cooked up a very spicy meal the following day.

She had to make sure not to switch the shampoo and conditioner on the shower shelf, or move any of Beca's essential items without telling her about it: her computer, phone or keys.

She made sure to push the chairs back under the furniture when she had used them. Beca got a bruise on her knee for a week when she walked into the desk chair in their bedroom that Chloe hadn't tucked back after moving it. It had never been in Beca's path before, so she didn't expect it to be that night.

Chloe had apologized purposefully and insisted on kissing it (and other, uninjured places) better.

It took a bit of getting used to, but Chloe wouldn't have it any other way. She loved how domestic they had become and loved waking next to Beca every morning.

She was ready to make it a forever installment.

Their second anniversary came around, and Chloe felt giddy and slightly nervous with excitement. She had had that ring box in her sock drawer for a couple months now (who was she kidding, more like half a year) and had yet to find the nerves to go through with it.

It was after coming home after a pleasant dinner at Beca's favorite restaurant (the one from their first date) and upon seeing Beca laugh at something she had said that Chloe knew she couldn't wait anymore.

She smiled, heart singing in her chest as she watched a carefree Beca shaking in left-over giggles as they laid in bed, clad in their pajamas (well, Chloe was wearing a onesie, and it was really comfortable, thank you very much). Chloe stood and tiptoed to her sock drawer, grasping the box in her hand and turning it over several times as she padded back to the bed.

"I have something for you," she announced as she sat criss-crossed on the mattress. Beca sat up and felt for Chloe's body to know how to face her. "Close your eyes, baby."

Beca smirked. "That won't really change anything, Chlo. I'm as blind as a bat."

Chloe tutted, glaring at Beca while the latter snickered. "Humor me, will ya?"

Once her eyes did slip shut, Chloe took Beca's hand, turning it upwards, and placed the shut box in her palm.

Beca's brow furrowed in the most adorable way as she fumbled to find the right way to open it. Chloe watched with bated breath as Beca ran her thumb over the round-cut diamond, heart picking up when she saw Beca's eyes pop open and widen in acknowledgement.

"Chlo," she croaked out, voice already thick with emotion. Chloe inhaled deeply and grasped Beca's other hand, lacing her fingers through hers.

"Beca," she started, clearing her throat in an attempt to keep her voice steady. "The day you walked into my clinic, I knew there was something that drew me to you, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. I just knew I had to see you again. And then we had our first date, which was perfect in every sense of the word, and a second one, and a third one and... boy, did I know I was in it for good. Since we've started dating, you've made me realize what being happy really means. I like to get up in the mornings because they always start with a kiss from you, and I like coming home after work because I get to hug you."

She paused, blinking away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. She shuffled closer, cupping Beca's cheek to wipe hers for her. Her hand then drifted along the curve of Bea's neck and shoulder, down her collarbone to lay above her heart.

"I love your heart and how loving and considerate it is. I love your soul and how beautiful and kind it is. And I love you with my whole heart, with every ounce of my soul and fiber of my being. You are my home, in the present and hopefully, for a long time down the road. Now, I would like to ask you one thing."

She exhaled shakily, finally looking down at the ring that sat between them in the palm of Beca's hand.

"Beca, will you do this forever thing with me by becoming my wife?"

Beca smiled, soft and shy, and grasped Chloe's hand that was still resting on her chest. She lifted it to her mouth and brushed her lips across her knuckles.

"Yes. Of course I will."

Letting out a watery laugh, Chloe grinned as she leaned in to capture Beca's mouth in a full kiss. She cherished the moment she knew would leave fingerprints in her life.

"Okay," Chloe said with a wave once she had pulled away, plucking the ring out of the box. She reached for Beca's hand, and tried to keep hers steady as she slid it onto Beca's (shaking) ring finger. She pressed her lips to the ring, letting them linger there for a moment. "I love you so, so much."

Beca kissed her, soft and patient, as if she too, wanted to etch this moment in her memory forever.

"Can you take a picture of us?" Beca asked when they parted, breath ghosting over Chloe's lips. Chloe raised an eyebrow; Beca had never been one for picture, understandably so.

"Okay." She grabbed Beca's phone off the bedside table and switched the camera to the front one. "Ready?"

They ended snapping about a dozen pictures, goofy and serious ones.

"Now choose your favorite one," Beca told her. Chloe did as she was told. It was easy; the one where they were liplocked, Beca's left hand cupping Chloe's jaw with her ring visible, was by far her favorite. She described it to Beca, who nodded with a smile. "Sounds nice. Can you put it on my Instagram, baby?"

Beca's PR team was the one managing her account, mostly posting about Beca either playing, recording or doing press. Very few posts included aspects of her private life as Beca liked to well, keep it private. She sometimes asked Chloe to post pictures for her but rarely about the two of them as Beca insisted she didn't want to draw too much attention to Chloe, as her fans could be... intense.

"If you're okay with it." Beca added when Chloe remained silent. "I'd rather the fans found out from me than through some pap picture."

"Of course," she replied, kissing Beca chastely. She went back to her task. "Okay, so no filter needed, because we're both gorgeous," this drew a laugh from her fiancée (swoon). "What caption?"

Beca hummed in thought. "The ring seems nice so I said yes?" she then added with a laugh, "I can't sound too cheesy, it would ruin my reputation."

Chloe scoffed. "Obviously."

"Tag yourself," Beca added. "If you want to."

"And let the whole world know that I'm the one to have tied down this gorgeous specimen? Heck yeah."

Looking up briefly from the screen to observe the damage her words had made on Beca, she laughed upon seeing her all cute and flustered, red rushing to tint her cheeks. Hitting publish, it wasn't long before Chloe's own phone lit up with the notification.

"One more thing?" Beca asked timidly.

"Anything, babe."

"Can you save it as my screen wallpaper? I know it's silly, because I can't see it, but-"

Chloe interrupted her with a kiss. She knew it was more about the meaning behind it than being able to see it. The thought warmed her heart. "Done."

Reaching across the bed, she silenced both devices that she knew would be blowing up with hundreds of notifications in mere minutes. That could wait until the following morning.

Tonight was about them, and Chloe intended to make every minute of it worth it.

/

"Chlo?" Beca's voice was almost timid the morning after, over breakfast.

It was a Saturday, and while that usually meant no work for either of them, it was the first one in quite some time where Beca didn't have to go into the studio or Chloe didn't volunteer at the local animal shelter. They had spent most morning lazily making-out in bed, cherishing the new development in their relationship and sheepishly throwing ideas for their wedding out there.

Chloe had then spent over half-an-hour facetiming her parents (who probably loved Beca more than they did her by that point), who had known for a while she was going to propose but were still as ecstatic about the news. Her mom's shriek had shaken Beca to the core and Beca had almost cried over Chloe's parents calling her their daughter.

Chloe hummed as she poured more coffee into her cup and moved back to sit on the couch, next to her fiancée (still swooning).

"I need to talk to you about something."

Chloe's brow furrowed. Beca's nervousness was clear in her tone, so she went for a joke to try and gauge the atmosphere. "Are you already engaged to one of your other girlfriends?"

Beca chuckled, and the sound strummed deep inside Chloe, chasing away her impending anxiety over what Beca wanted to tell her.

"Never. I'm yours and yours only." Beca marked her words by pressing a full kiss to Chloe's lips. "You remember that night I was assaulted in the street about a year and a half ago?"

Chloe remembered the leap her heart had made when getting the phone call and how it had snapped into two upon witnessing Beca so distraught when she had got to the hospital. She remembered how it was the night she realized Beca had become her world.

"The following week, the doctor that took care of me called me and said something about meeting with a neuro-surgeon. A neurosurgeon that says she'd be able to perform a surgery that could fix my sight. I've given it some serious thought over the past year and met with her a couple times over the last month. But I haven't made my decision; yet. I'm sorry I haven't told you before today, I... I needed to let it sink in at first, and soon it a few weeks turned into months."

"It's okay," Chloe felt a mixture of emotions unleash in her chest. Happiness, because Beca might be able to see again. Fear, because brain surgery, even performed by the best surgeon on earth, was still brain surgery. "What did the doctor say about the risks?"

"Well, she said that brain surgery always held its part of risks. I could end up paralyzed or a clot could form and-"

"You could die?" Chloe finished for her, surprised that her voice had managed to break through the heavy fog collecting around her vocal chords. Beca nodded, gaze unfocused as it stared into blank space. Chloe felt the air being temporarily knocked out of her lungs. She swallowed and leaned over to set her mug on the coffee table as her hands had begun shaking uncontrollably. "Beca."

"I know. I know it's risky, but I've waited the last ten years for someone to say that to me. To tell me that they might be able to make me see again."

Chloe's throat tightened over Beca's words, acid taste settling on her tongue.

"Why does it sound like you've already made your decision when you say you haven't?" Chloe croaked out, pushing her hair away from her forehead.

"I.." Beca trailed off, mouth thinning. "Maybe I have. This is what I've wanted for so long Chlo. But I understand that it's a lot to take in. I understand if you want to take your decision back."

Chloe blinked, briefly wondering if she had heard correctly. "Take my decision back?"

"Well, yeah. If the surgery- if the surgery isn't successful and I end up, I don't know, paralyzed or in a vegetative state. I just want to give you an out in case things go south. And it's easier to do so as my girlfriend than as my wife."

"Give me an _out_?" Chloe did a double take, feeling as though she had been slapped across the face. "Did you just say that to me?"

Beca sighed, extending her hand to touch her. "Chlo."

Chloe shook her head angrily, standing up hastily, away from Beca's reach. "I can't believe you! Who do you think I _am_?!"

"A human being," Beca replied calmly, but Chloe could see the tears forming in her eyes. "Who would find it extremely hard to be tied up to a... a person needing to be assisted more than I do now, should that happen. And understandably so. You deserve better than that."

Chloe had trouble believing what she was hearing.

"That's _bullshit_! You just don't get that you are _it_ , do you? That there is no way I'm going to fall in love with anybody else or build a life with anyone else other than _you_. I wouldn't leave you even if you end up paralyzed, Beca." She shook her head, blinking away the tears that had too, gathered in her eyes. "I'm hurt that you would think such a thing of me."

She caught the distress in Beca's eyes as they remained locked on thin air. "I'm sorry. That, that came out wrong. I just don't want to become a burden and ruin your life."

Chloe's hands came down on her thighs out of frustration and incomprehension. "Why would you risk it? You've done so well for the last ten years of your life despite your lack of sight. You've built an amazing career for yourself, you have amazing friends and our lives are wonderful as they are."

"I need to do this, Chlo." Beca said, tone laced with desperation as she stood up, taking slow, cautious steps to Chloe. Chloe fell silent. Beca's hands reached out for her, settling on her hips. "I want to see again. I want to see the world, I want to see _you_. The person I'm in love with. I want to see your smile and the sparkle in your eye whenever you laugh, and... I want to be able to see you on our wedding day and see how our kids look like you and-"

Chloe finally let out the sob that was itching to get out. She wanted that, too. So much. But not to the expense of risking Beca's life.

She let Beca tighten her hold on her, dropping her head to her shoulder, turning it to the crook of her neck.

"I can't lose you," she whispered, her own arms snaking around Beca's waist to pull her impossibly closer. "I _can't_."

But she also knew, even though they were set to get married, that she couldn't keep Beca from doing this. She couldn't and wouldn't be the reason behind Beca's biggest regret. She didn't have any right to keep her from going through with it.

"That's still unlikely. The surgeon is very optimistic about this. If you want, you can meet her and ask her all the questions you have."

"Okay." She pulled away and tried to wipe away her tears. "As terrified as I am, I can't not support you."

Chloe took a deep breath as a new round of tears flooded her vision.

"Go call you doctor," she said with a firm nod, though Beca couldn't see it.

Beca puffed out a breath. "Thank you."

/

"I can hear the gears turning," Beca said in a teasing tone from her spot in the chair next to Chloe. Chloe willed her knee to stop bouncing as she twisted her head to glance at her fiancée.

"Sorry."

Beca kept her gaze ahead, but reached across the distance between them to grasp her hand. "It's okay, baby."

The door opened and shut a second later, a woman in her fifties striding in.

"Hello, Beca. Glad to see you in." She greeted as she stopped in front of the couple. Chloe stood. "And you must be the fiancée."

"Yes. I'm Chloe."

She shook the doctor's hand and sat back down, smiling softly when Beca felt her leg until Chloe got the message and slipped her hand back into hers.

"So, I understand you made the decision to go through with the surgery and you have some concerns."

"Yes. Well, Chloe has."

"Of course," the smile Chloe got was bright and confident, but also very sincere and Chloe's anxiety tamed down. "I understand that this is very scary. Like any brain surgery, there are some risks. Now, I wouldn't have called Beca if I didn't think I could help her get her sight back. I read her file, thoroughly studied her scans and exchanged with a few colleagues of mine over the case before contacting Beca."

"Have you-have you done anything like this before?"

"Yes. Every surgery is different, but I have operated on the optic nerve before. It's my specialty as a brain surgeon."

"What's your rate of success?"

"Chloe," Beca interrupted with a frown and a light scold to her tone.

Chloe cut her eyes to her. "This woman, as nice and professional as she comes across, will be poking around in your beautiful brain soon so excuse me if I want to know how good she is exactly."

Beca pursed her lips and nodded, falling silent. "I'm sorry."

Chloe rubbed her thumb over Beca's knuckles as she focused back on the woman across from them.

"That's fine, Beca. I wouldn't let just anyone near my husband's vital organs, either. My success rate over this type of surgery is about 90%. The surgeries that failed didn't cause anymore consequences on the patients. I just couldn't restore their sight."

"Okay," Chloe eventually agreed, tone soft and quiet as she was still torn over this. "Okay. When do you plan on doing this?"

Beca squeezed her hand in gratitude, Chloe guessed.

"I have a spot in three weeks from now."

Chloe choked on her saliva. "Three- three _weeks_?"

"I understand this is fast. I understand your wariness and can push it back if you need more time."

"We don't need more time."

Chloe's felt her eyes widen. " _Beca_."

Beca's smile was somehow amused when she turned her head toward Chloe and Chloe briefly wondered if Beca was aware they were speaking about brain surgery. " _Chloe_."

"I... It's just so soon. I thought we would be married before you went through with it." Chloe sighed, closing her eyes briefly.

The doctor looked through her agenda quickly. "It will be another six months before I get a new opening."

"Chloe, I can't wait that long anymore."

And Chloe understood. Beca had made her decision and now wanted to get it done as soon as possible before she changed her mind. It was still hard to wrap her head around the fact that she only had three weeks before her life changed, for better or for worse.

"Okay."

"Very well. I will get the paperwork, then give you the instructions for pre-surgery requirements."

After their appointment, Chloe and Beca walked out of the clinic in eerie silence.

"Are you mad?" Beca asked when they stepped out into the street. Her hand was clutching the crook of Chloe's elbow as she cautiously walked down the steps.

"No." Chloe assured her once they reached the sidewalk. She brushed her lips over Beca's temple, heart fluttering when Beca leaned into the touch. "I'm sorry. It's just a lot to take in in so little time."

"I know. Did you really mean what you said? That you thought we would be married before I went through with this?"

Chloe nibbled on her bottom lip, and eventually stopped walking, tugging Beca against the wall of a building to have a semblance of privacy on the busy street.

"I do. I... I want to be your wife, no matter what the outcome is."

She heard Beca inhale sharply. "Are we far away from City Hall?"

"Are you," Chloe paused, heart fluttering when Beca smiled at her fondly. "Are you serious?"

"Marry me today, Dr. Beale?" she murmured, running her hand up and down Chloe's forearm. "We can always have the ceremony with our friends and family after the surgery. Only when my hair has grown back, though. I'm not wearing a wig on our wedding day."

Chloe giggled, leaning in to kiss Beca quickly. She grinned against her lips, whispering, "You're an idiot." Sobering up, she cupped Beca's face tenderly. "Let's go get married."

It turned out you had to ask for a licence before that and couldn't just turn up and ask to be married the same day. They were signed up to go through with it the day after. After leaving city hall with their licence, they spent the afternoon wedding shopping, and it managed to get Chloe's mind off her fears about Beca's surgery.

Chloe found a white summer dress that was not too fancy that she could wear every other day of her life, but still fancy enough for a ceremony at City Hall. Beca opted for a white blouse and black dress pants that she decided she would wear with her navy pumps.

"Rings," Beca said when they stepped out of the clothing store. "We need wedding bands, Chlo."

The detail had slipped Chloe's mind.

"You're right! Let's go," In her excitement, Chloe tugged a little too hard on Beca's hand, making her stumble a little bit. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry baby. You good?"

Beca rolled her eyes but nodded. "I miss Jasper. He's a bit more cautious than you are."

Chloe gasped and reached out to pinch her waist, making Beca jolt away from her as she batted her hand off her body. They walked through the door of the jewelry shop, laughter still fresh on their features, and Chloe noticed the store employee looking at them funny.

"Hi!" she chirped, tugging Beca along, more gently this time. "We're here to buy wedding bands."

"Certainly! Let me show you what we have. Were you going for gold or platinum?"

"What do you think, baby?" Chloe addressed Beca, who seemed lost in her own world. Beca hummed and stepped closer to the counter.

"I'd say platinum."

Chloe grinned. That was what she was going for, too. "Platinum, please."

As the employee went out back to get the selection she had, Chloe bumped her hip against Beca's to draw her attention. "You okay, sweetie?"

"Yeah." Beca said quietly, blinking up to her. "I'm just really, really happy. I can't wait to marry you, either, and I'm glad we're doing that tomorrow."

Butterflies erupted inside Chloe's belly. She reached out to pull Beca closer, planting a firm kiss on the brunette's lips. Beca squeaked in surprise, probably not having expected it, but kissed her back just as eagerly, until a clear of the throat made them spring apart.

Beca blushed furiously while Chloe laughed. "Sorry."

"Not a problem," the employee assured them with a knowing smile as she set a display on top of the glass showcase. "This is our selection of platinum bands."

Chloe hummed as Beca approached, hand reaching out to run her fingers over each one of them once, then a second time, as Chloe did the same, but with her eyes. They eventually decided on a thin and simple design.

"We would also like to look at engagement rings for my fiancée, please." Beca said when the woman had sized their fingers, causing Chloe to snap her head to her in confusion.

"We would?"

Beca smiled at her fondly, shrugging. "Well, yeah. I wanted to get you one at some point, before we got married. But out wedding date got propelled forward so I need to act fast."

Chloe bit on her lip to keep her grin in check as the employee led them to the ring section. They left the shop half-an-hour later, their bands sized and safely tucked in a box in Chloe's purse, and a simple, round cut sapphire on Chloe's ring finger. It was probably a lot more expensive than the ring she had bought Beca, and had hesitated over her spending such an amount of money for Chloe, but Beca wouldn't hear any of it.

The perks of having a successful music artist and producer as her fiancée, Chloe guessed. She later figured the purchase of the ring and the two bands (because of course Beca had insisted on paying for those, too) had barely made a dent into Beca's bank account.

The next day, around the same time, they both stood in front of a city official, Stacie standing next to Chloe and Jesse next to Beca as they were pronounced married.

"I love you, Mrs. Beale," Chloe murmured against Beca's lips as Stacie whistled while Jesse clapped. Beca laughed when Chloe dipped her, hands locked on the small of her back.

"I love you, too, _wifey_."

/

Chloe stared at the tile floor in front of her. She had bitten her nails to the flesh the minute Beca was rolled away towards the OR.

The last three weeks had been a blur. Being married hadn't changed much she and Beca's daily lives. Beca was still busy making music and Chloe taking care of animals.

Chloe woke up on surgery day with the strong urge to throw up. Her wife was still sound asleep next to her, not bothered by the light pouring into the room. She laid on her back, hand folded over her stomach as she stared at the ceiling, trying to keep her breathing steady as she went over what could possibly go wrong over the next hours.

A shuffle to her left stirred her out of her dark thoughts and she managed a smile when Beca turned around and molded herself to her side, draping an arm over her midsection and a leg over hers.

"Stop worrying," Beca mumbled while keeping her eyes shut, and pressed her lips to Chloe's shoulder before setting her head there.

Chloe took a deep breath. "Tell me everything's going to be okay."

Beca lifted her head, propping herself up on her elbow. She reached out to run the back of her hand along Chloe's cheek.

"Everything's going to be okay."

That had been six hours ago, and Chloe was starting to think she might go mad. There was a child crying in the waiting room of the surgical floor and, as much as she loved children, she was also very close to yelling at his parents to get their son under control.

Before she started shouting profanities, Chloe decided to go outside and get a grip of herself. For the first time in years, she smoke a cigarette. It sucked a bit of the crushing terror away.

"Chloe?" Chloe whipped her head around at the sound of Beca's doctor's voice. She had been staring blankly, leaned against a pillar by the hospital entrance. "You were difficult to track down."

Chloe spun around. "Is-"

"Beca is doing good. The surgery went as well as expected, no complications whatsoever. We just have to wait for her to wake up before we can tell if it was successful."

Chloe sucked in a huge gush of air and propped her elbow against the pillar for support. Beca was alive and well.

She was led to Beca's room, where her wife was still under the effects of anesthesia. She spent her afternoon holding Beca's hand and intently listening to her heart monitor, eyes trained on any movement.

She got shoed out after visitation hours later that day, but barely managed to get any sleep that night. Jasper was snoring softly from his spot by the foot of the bed, while Chloe found herself staring at the ceiling once again, willing for her phone to ring and to be told Beca could see.

She was at the hospital ten minutes before visits were allowed the next morning, swinging by the cafeteria on her way to the surgical floor to get herself a double americano.

Opening the door to Beca's room, Chloe's feet froze when she caught sight of the doctor next to her wife, who was awake and sat up, moving her eyes to follow the light in the doctor's hand. Dr. Mackenzie caught sight of her before Beca did and smiled.

"I was about to call you. Beca just woke up."

Chloe swallowed the lump in her throat, blinking several times to make sure her brain wasn't playing tricks to her. She inhaled sharply when Beca moved her head and their eyes locked across the room.

Her cup slipped out of her grip and splattered on the floor, the coffee probably bound to leave a stain on her sneakers, but Chloe didn't care.

Because Beca was staring straight at her, and Chloe _knew_ she could see. Beca's gaze, strong and unwavering, seeped right through her, its intensity sending tiny bolts of lightning throughout Chloe's entire body.

"People really didn't joke around when they told me my wife was beautiful. She's truly a sight to behold, isn't she, Doc?"

Chloe choked on a sob and finally found the strength to make the distance to Beca, on albeit wobbly legs, squeezing her still recovering body in a crushing hug the moment she was close enough.

"Hi, Chlo," Beca croaked out into her neck, holding Chloe back just as tight. Chloe's body shook with a blend of sobs and relieved laughter. "I told you everything would be alright."

Chloe pulled away, cupping Beca's face with both hands to make her look at her again. "You can really see?"

Beca nodded, a few tears spilling out of her eyes and rolling onto her cheeks. She made no move to wipe them away, and neither did Chloe. Happy tears deserved to be shed. "I can really see."

"Oh my God," Chloe murmured, finally letting the water works break, herself. She kissed Beca soundly, briefly registering the doctor excusing herself. "I'm so fucking relieved and so, so happy for you, baby."

"I can _see_ ," Beca repeated, as though she couldn't believe it just yet, which, Chloe couldn't blame her for. It had been ten years. Ten years during which Beca had been trapped in darkness overnight and had had to learn how to live all over again. "I can see you. You have no idea how much I've wanted to be able to do that."

Beca spent a few additional days in the hospital after that, to have her brain activity monitored. Once home, she had a three-week-break from work, per doctor's orders, and spent the majority of her time reading every book in their library or out on the balcony enjoying the view over the city of Los Angeles.

If the positive outcome was life-changing for Beca, it was equally for Chloe.

Eight days after Beca's surgery and by her fifth day back home, Chloe had yet to get used to the fact that Beca could now tell colors and walk up and down the stairs in less than five seconds. Her heart did a somersault each time Beca said stuff like 'you should put on your blue shirt. It brings out your eyes', or 'you have something in your hair' or comments that were less appropriate and Chloe wouldn't repeat to anyone.

"What?" Chloe finally voiced, catching Beca staring at the side of her face while they read their respective books.

Chloe had read somewhere that humans blink at least every ten seconds, maybe less than that if the person was focused on something.

Chloe found it cute and endearing how Beca refused to close her eyes for even a millisecond. She liked to think she was catching up on a decade of simply not being able to see the world.

Still, she was pretty sure Beca hadn't blinked in, like, the last ten minutes and she was afraid her wife's eyes might dry out.

They were currently on their honeymoon in Hawaii, three weeks post surgery, lounging in their hotel suite after a long day spent exploring the island. Chloe's head was on Beca's lap as she laid perpendicular to her on their king size bed, while Beca's back rested against the headboard.

"Nothing," Beca replied quietly, cheeks coloring slightly as she broke eye-contact to focus back on her novel.

Chloe's own eyes narrowed. Setting her book down, she sat up, kneeling on the mattress, then shuffled over to her wife, whose legs parted to make enough space for Chloe to settle between them.

After plucking the book from Beca's hands, who huffed because she didn't have time to mark the page, Chloe braced herself on her arms on each side of Beca's body, staring down at her, her red hair framing her face.

"Tell me," she demanded with a playful frown.

Beca reached out, tucking strands of Chloe's hair back behind her ear. "It's going to sound super cheesy but..." she paused, orbs briefly flicking to Chloe's lips, then back up. "I just can't get over how beautiful you are."

And if Chloe wasn't already lying down, she was positive her knees would have bucked from Beca's words and the intensity of her eyes as they locked onto Chloe's, unblinking for definitely more than ten seconds. Her elbows did give out though, causing her body to lie flush against Beca, which didn't help in keeping her system from overheating.

"I mean, I knew you were beautiful, obviously."

Beca added when Chloe didn't say anything, simply because she couldn't find her voice anywhere reachable. It had disappeared somewhere down her throat, along with any word she once had in her registry. Her brain felt mushy.

"Beautiful in every sense of the word; kind, tolerant, intelligent, loyal and loving. I didn't need my sight to know that. But your eyes... God, your eyes are just indescribable. I remember our first date when you said they were the color of the ocean. You were right. They are just like the ocean. They are made of so many shades of blue that I keep losing myself trying to count every single one of them. And they change depending on the time of the day and depending on your mood, too. Just like the ocean, they are fierce, and unpredictable."

Beca's voice was soft, yet echoing deep inside Chloe. She felt her insides shift, trying to fit her growing love for Beca, which she couldn't think possible. She loved Beca with every fiber of her being, yet she could feel it expand, and wondered if it would ever stop.

"That's why I stare. I simply find them mesmerizing and deserving every bit of my attention."

A sound that Chloe couldn't quite identify left her throat. She swallowed, releasing a shaky breath.

"And you hair," Beca's eyes dropped to her new subject of her attention, twirling a piece of it around her finger. "Reflects the color of your personality; fiery and as warm as the sun."

Chloe closed her eyes as she let Beca's words settle. She must have kept them shut for a long stretch, because she felt Beca squeeze the dip of her waist to draw her attention.

"What is it?" she asked quietly. Her head was tilted to the side when Chloe's eyelids slid open.

"I am _so_ in love with you. It almost makes it difficult for me to breathe, sometimes. I feel so proud to be able to call you my wife and I believe I am the luckiest one in the world."

Beca smiled, eyes getting slightly misty. "I could easily argue with that."

Chloe stole a kiss from her lips. "I highly doubt that."

Laughter bubbled up in Beca's chest, Chloe could feel it shake against her sternum. "When did we become one of those couples who argue about who is the luckiest in the relationship?"

"Ugh, I know," Chloe fake-complained with a mocking eye-roll. "So _annoying_."

Beca closed the scant distance to kiss her, slow and languid. Chloe smiled against her lips, responding just as lovingly.

"The sunset is pretty cool," Beca observed between kisses minutes later, eyes fleeting to the large bay window of their room. Chloe hummed in agreement, sitting up and tugging Beca along with her.

"Come on, let's go watch the sunset like one of those annoying couples."

They padded barefoot to the balcony and settled on the same reclining chair, Chloe tucking herself in between Beca's legs and resting her back against Beca's front as Beca draped her arms over Chloe's shoulders. The outside temperature was still warm enough to lounge in a simple tee, despite the chilly breeze brought forth by the ocean.

After a minute of appreciating the blended swirl of different colors in the evening sky, Chloe shifted slightly to be able to look at her wife. She nuzzled the nook in her cheek.

"Tell me what you see," she said, resting her head against Beca's neck, feeling her pulse thump against her skin. Beca's fingers began lazily running up and down her upper arms.

"I see the sun disappear into the sea, fast and steady," Beca spoke quietly, voice raw and thick. "I see a flock of birds flying towards that sun. I see a few kids driving their parents mad."

Chloe laughed, breath tickling Beca's skin, and looked down to the beach below them to confirm that fact. Her eyes cut back to her wife, who was smiling softly.

Feeling Chloe's gaze on her, Beca briefly glanced at her, then back to the sight in front of them, just in time to watch the sun dip into the horizon.

Beca sighed, that kind of content sigh that seemed to escape often from her mouth lately.

A sigh of pure and unrestrained happiness.

"I can see for miles."

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it.**


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